Summer is winding down and the Stanly Arts Guild is gearing up for an exciting, activity packed year. Our meeting on September 5 is an unusual meeting; we are starting early - 6:00 PM - with refreshments followed by a discussion with Tom Gray that will kick off our "Month of Clay" activities. There is more information about the event in this newsletter.

As the Board planned activities all summer for the coming year, I was amazed at the creativity and energy that has gone into making these activities informative as well as enjoyable. You don't want to miss out on any of these. After the Month of Clay, the Member Show is in October, followed by the "From Our Hearts" Holiday craft show in November and December. We'll have some new exciting workshops sprinkled all along the year. And, did you know that the Stanly Arts Guild turns 50 years old in November this year? That's right; the Guild was formed November 21, 1963. Jackie Layman is planning a birthday party for our November meeting that I'm sure you won't want to miss.

In the past, the Stanly Arts Guild has had an informal relationship with the area community and four-year colleges through our members. Many of these colleges have Art Clubs. There is a need to help coordinate some activities between the colleges and guild. Activities may consist of mentoring an art club or facilitating volunteer help for campus or guild activities where students and guild members work together. If you are interested in assisting with that activity, please let me know. I can't wait to see you at the September 5th meeting.

Next Guild Meeting: 6 PM, September 5, 2013 with

Seagrove Potter and Featured Artist Tom Gray

The next guild meeting will be the kick off event for The

" Studio Experience - A Celebration Of Clay" with Seagrove potter Tom Gray. He will be doing a demonstration and talk to us about his pottery and its use and appreciation in the serving and sharing of food.

Tom is also our Featured Artist this month. He says "

For more than half my life I've been making my living as a potter -- a hand maker of mugs, cups, bowls and plates, mostly stuff that can be used in the acts and arts of food preparation, serving and sipping."

Light refreshments will be served beginning at 6:00pm.

CALL FOR ARTWORK!!!

The "From our Hands" craft show is fast approaching and we are looking for a piece of artwork to use for the poster and greeting cards. The work can be a piece of photography, a painting, or even 3-D as long as it can be reproduced as 2-D. We would like to keep with a winter/Christmas theme. Though we cannot compensate you for your work, your name will be included whenever it is used. The posters are distributed through out Stanly, Montgomery, Rowan and Anson Counties and the money raised through the sale of the cards is used for the Guild's education initiatives. Please submit your work to Millie or Bobbie by October 1. We appreciate your help with this project.

A Month-long Celebration!

Come join the Stanly Arts Guild & Falling Rivers Gallery as we celebrate the heritage we all share in clay.

Clay vessels have been a part of human culture for thousands of years. From hand formed objects to hold and store our food, to tiles on the space shuttle, clay has been a versatile presence in all our lives.

This month long event gives you an intimate look into the making and using of Pottery items. The Stanly Arts Guild believes strongly in encouraging artists of all ages and in all mediums and in providing lively venues for learning.

We hope you will enjoy "playing in the mud" with us this month!! - See more at:

For your $10 (or more) donation to the Stanly Arts Guild, you will receive one hour of personal, one-on-one instruction in the art of either Hand Building with clay or Beginning Wheel Instruction. This one hour session will give you plenty of exposure to what it feels like to enjoy one of the oldest art forms in history. Though you will not have a completed piece, you can have enough exposure to this wonderful craft to know if you want to pursue pottery skills further. For ages 12 and up.

Come join us and play in the clay!!!!

KIDS DAY IN CLAY

For ages 2nd through 5th grade

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14,

9:30am - 12:30pm

Cost: $20

Falling Rivers Gallery is proud to host a day for 2nd to 5th grade children to experience working in clay. Led by Potter Millie Campbell, this workshop will include the decoration and construction of a pottery box. Students will learn how to prepare, decorate, construct and glaze a great keepsake. The finished and fired pieces produced at this workshop will be displayed in the "Emerging Artists" area during our Pottery Show and Sale at Falling Rivers Gallery. The show runs September 21 - 28. This experience is sure to inspire your budding artist and give them skills in production of 3-dimensional clay items.

Hope to see you there!!

For more information on these workshops, cal Falling Rivers Gallery at 704-983-4278

The Agri-Civic Center in September

Stanley Matheny, born 1943, lives with his wife Beverly in Charlotte, NC. They have three boys who are all married; they have nine grandchildren and are expecting their first great-grandchild. He has forty years experience in the Graphic Arts field.

Stanley studied at a vocational school for commercial art, but has done a considerable amount of fine art through the years. He works in oils, acrylics, pencil, pastels, pen and ink, scratchboard, and colored pencil. He has held exhibits at Art Galleries including The Coffey & Thompson Fine Arts Gallery, The Providence Gallery, The CAS Matthews Presbyterian Hospital, and Founders Hall, all in Charlotte, NC, and Falling Rivers Gallery in Albemarle, NC. He has a pencil drawing being published in the North Light Book entitled Strokes of Genius 5 coming out this year.

His genre is mostly wildlife, although he has done still life, numerous pet portraits, and children's portraits. He has shown his work in our "Nature At It's Best" Show for several years.

Stanley's art will be displayed on the wall at the Agri-Civic Center and in the window at the Gallery through the end of September.

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Shakeeka Watts is a single parent and a recent graduate from Wingate University with a BFA in Fine Art. She enjoys parenting and all forms of art.

Shakeeka hand-weaves beautifully detailed baskets and vessels from pine needles. She says "It all began with a family vacation to Charleston, SC. It was when I was first introduced to the history of basketry making. Little did I know that basketry played such a major part of African and African American History. It was an art form that I had to learn!"

Shakeeka won a Third Place and an Honorable Mention for her baskets in The Summer Art Explosion. They will be on display in the showcase at the Agri-Civic Center through September 16.

a HUUUUGE Thank You......

To my painting crew and everyone that helped take the art down and then re-hang it: Anita Ammerman, Teresa Hunsucker, Dan Wray, Nancy and Ed Lipe, David Dutton, Leslie Carter, Vicki Galloway, Bobbie Listerman, Carole Poplin and Toni Gaalaas, a huge thank you for all your hard work. Let's do it again in 5 years! Thanks again, Jackie L.

Member News

Judith Williams: Stony Run Pottery participated in the Heritage Day at the Agri-Civic Center August 17th. Gary had his wheel and was set up to throw but the rain did not cooperate. Judith was set for a handbuilding activity with kids but was only able to work with a few children - soft clay and wet environment were not compatible even under a canopy. The few pieces that were done will be fired in our kiln and glazed and are scheduled to be returned to the kids during the pottery show in September

The Albemarle Downtown Business Association is planning a sidewalk sale to coincide with the community yard sale held each year at the Episcopal Church on September 7 (rain date September 14). If you have discounted work or art related items that you would like to sale, please contact Nancy and we'll schedule for you to deliver and tag your items. The same commission rate applies.

Art of the Vine is finally picking up momentum. We have hosts booked out through the rest of 2013, but if you have an idea for theme and the enthusiasm to create some fun art play time for adults, contact Nancy at 704-754-0543.

The Stanly Arts Guild is sponsored in part by the Albemarle Improvement LLC, the Stanly County Arts Council, and receives support from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Cultural Resources, and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes a great nation deserves great art.